Summer Recipes Collection: Perfect Foods for BBQs & Picnics

I absolutely love BBQ season! The flavors, the smells and especially the atmosphere! Whether you are looking for BBQ ready recipes, picnic recipes or just the best summer recipes, this list is a great place to start!

Summer Drink Recipes

Almost-Fresh Lemonade: This fantastic lemonade is the closest you can get to the flavor or freshly juiced lemons in lemonade! It’s perfect for any hot day, but it’s certainly a winning summer recipe!

Mock Sonic Limeades: Admittedly, this is in a slushy form but that’s only because that’s the best way to have anything in the summertime!

Summer Recipes on the Side

Garden Salsa Recipe: This one is for the gardeners, or those who have a fantastic local farmer’s market! It’s perfect! Don’t miss out!

Homemade Honey Mustard: This is honey mustard without additives we don’t need. It’s easy to make and perfect on every burger!

Pickled Onions: While this is one I’d never had made without prompting, it’s also one that I can’t live without now! So, try it. You won’t be sorry!

Homemade Croutons: Stop wasting stale bread! This recipe is perfect and they are amazing on top of salads or in recipes!

Pik-Ams: This recipe was given to me by my Great-Grandmother and one they would use for Bridge Nights but it seems to be a recipe for any hot day in my opinion! These cold finger foods are the best to grab and snack on anytime, but especially on hot days!

Paleo Deviled Eggs: Don’t get turned off by the word Paleo, these are wonderful, albeit slightly healthier than our normal deviled eggs! Everyone loves deviled eggs at any event!

Summer Recipes for Lunch

Lunch cannot be ignored in summer recipes. It is essential that we have great ones for day to day.

Chicken Salad: This one is low calorie and wonderful to have on hand!

Greek Inspired Chicken Pitas: Even if you aren’t a fan of Greek food, give this one a shot. You can make it ahead of time and have a quick lunch ready to go!

Tuna Melts: A random song got tuna melts stuck in our heads, so we set out to perfect a recipe for them. Not sure if this is perfect, as prior to that I’d never had one, but it gets great reviews so it can’t be too bad!

Summer Salad Recipes

Broccoli Salad Surprise: The reason ‘Surprise’ is in the recipe name is because of the unexpected ingredients but it is certainly one of the best surprises you’ll find! Plus, don’t tell anyone, it’s healthy! A definite must for any summer event, but honestly it’s a fabulous (make-ahead if you like) recipe year round!

Country Pasta Toss: Every BBQ, picnic and list of summer recipes should have this one on the menu! While it is super simple, it’s incredibly tasty!

Garden Fresh Corn Salad: No garden, no problem. You can hit up your local farmer’s market, use store bought vegetables or even sneak in canned. No matter how you do it, this summer recipe is absolutely wonderful!

Southern Macaroni Salad: These are a staple in the South and there are plenty of variations! This one, is of course, my own. Enjoy!

Potato Salad Battles…

A bit of personal background with these. Both my big sister and my sister-in-love once had a battle on the potato salad front. It amused me to no end and the delicious selections were always appreciated! My big sister loves her some German Potato Salad while my Sister-in-love had her own version of a more traditional recipe.

Neither of these are their recipes, but they are both fantastic and delicious. I’m pretty certain the two aforementioned sisters inspired me to create the posts below. I’m not getting in on whose is or was better. Unless, of course, they want to have an official battle, at which point I would happily judge!

Traditional Potato Salad: We all have one of these, but just in case here’s a new one for you!

German Potato Salad: Don’t count this one out, it’s a winner for sure! Especially for those who want to mix things up a bit from their usual!

Summer Cold Soup Recipe

Coconut Chicken Soup: Sadly, I have only one cold soup recipe. I truly feel like I need to resolve this sad thing! But, it had to be included in this summer recipes list because if you like coconut, you are going to love this! It’s wonderful hot as well but I think it’s way better cold! Cold Summer Soups, always a win!

Summer Recipes: Desserts

Mock Welch’s Strawberry Popsicles: Growing up, Welch’s Popcicles were a summer staple after a long, hot play outside! These taste remarkably close to the way they did long ago, before all of the additives came along.

I highly recommend Ecozoi Popsicle Molds. I have a set and absolutely love them! It’s easy to get the popsicle out, they last forever (stainless steel) and they are better for the environment!

Pineapple Pie: This one is for those of you who really love pineapple! It’s super sweet and tangy! Perfect for those hot summer days!

Peanut Butter Pie: A Southern favorite, this is for every peanut butter lover out there! Fair warning, it must be kept cold, so if you are taking it to an outdoor event, keep it frozen and let it thaw while you enjoy your other goodies!

Peach Sorbet: For all of you peach loving peeps! Enjoy!

Summer Recipes: A Closing Thought

Great music and a BBQ grill isn’t all we need, though they are absolutely essential! I highly encourage you to get some ice containers to keep your food cold. Food poisoning is no joke and will all of the fabulous summer recipes that contain mayo, you won’t regret that investment!

I would love to hear what your go to recipe is or even what recipe you’ve been searching for! I love searching out recipes and posting them! I am blessed to have many wonderful people in my life that have the ‘old recipes’ etched on their hearts and they are often willing to share!

My favorite part about summer BBQ’s and picnics is always the bonding and the memories we make. They are absolutely priceless for sure and I think Covid-19 has reminded us of that. Please, be safe in all that you do, if not for yourself then for those that you love.